Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-10-29

have become resigned TO her loss
happened one morning shortly after this TO b.
In the shop OF one OF those West End jewellers who
are in reality swell pawnbrokers," when the
"By the way, pair of earrings were offered tc
me the other day which might have fancied were
part OF Lady Pinkertons set half thought OF
OBTAINING the lady and sending for your
"And why didn't your" i Interrupted, almost
angrily.
Because the things were not diamonds at all
| they were only PASTE"
| 'Paste! Then they can't have been Lady Pinker.
| ton's-but are you quite sure?"
Perfectly sure, They were paste, but q very
pondered the matter for moment. Could the
THE nave taken out the stones, replaced them by
Imitation brilllants, and then tried TO pass on the
false stones as real ones by means OF the settingf
Possibly; but on the other hand, the setting was
| the very thing which any thief must have known
might lead 10 his detection.
"WhO offered you the trinkets?" asked
"An elderly wOman-I think she was French
woman" was the answer
"Can you give me a drawing of one of them7"
The Jeweler took pencil and a sheet OF paper
and In Few minutes handed me a sketch OF an
earring, which certainly bore resemblance to the
drawing had made from Lady Ptnkerton's de-
left the shop with the two sketches in my hand.
feeling somewhat puzzled. On the whole Thought
made.
found her ladyship at breakfast in her boudoir,
attended by her maid. In few words explained
the object OF my visit, and then handed her the
jewelers. sketch, asking her II she recognized it.
The lady took It with the tips OF her fingers and
looked at II with supercilious air; but could
see That, In spite OF her aectition or nonchalance
she was deeply interested in what had said.
"No," she said with careless air, as she laid the
sheet OF paper on the table. There Is resein-
blance in shape, but that is nothing. II the ear
rlngs were Paste,as you say, they cannot be mine;
As Lady Pinkerton was speaking, her maid
Alice Wright, approached the table with cream
jug in her hand and as she did so she glanced at
drawing " hpra
look OF surprise came over the girls face aud she
seemed TO be on the point OF saying something
She turned away, however, without speaking, and
at sign from her mistress quietly left the ROOM
drew the conclusion, as certainly as II the girl
had spoken, that, in her opinion, the drawing
made by the jeweler nearly resembled, at least
one OF the missing trinketS, and also suspected
that her mistress DESTROYS that the girl should
keep her opinion to herself. IL seemed unneces-
siry 10 me at the time TO pursue the subject fur
theT. After all, there was nothing surprising in
Lady PlnkertOn's unwillingnes5 TO allow It TO be
supposed that her famous diamonds had been
nothing but paste after all.
Next day, however, thought had better see
the girl and question her, and was on the point
OF setting out for Devonshire House Terrace where
Lord Pinkerton lived, when received a telegram
from the officer who HAD been instructed to keep
a watch on Alice Wrlght's movements "Alice
Wright seems TO be leaving for the country. Shall
follow herr" said the telegram. certainly, and
vie address when you reach her destination" I
replied.
THAT evening had the address, quiet village
In one OF the Midland counties, and next morning
l surprised Miss Wright by presenting myself be-
'.What DO you want with me2n she asked, with
an anxious expression. 81 know nothing about
the diamonds don't, indeed"
al don't say you dol don't think you do" re-
piled. "All want to know is, what do you think
OF this drawing?" Il laid the sketch I had re-
as IT a fair likeness OF one OF your mistress ear
rings?'
slowly.
"You thought 1t very like yesterday saidI
She started "Perhaps thought so at nrst, she
replied
"why did you come down here7" asked.
This is my home" she answered with some
heat. "My mistress gave me a months holiday
There was no more to be got out of her, and after
telling my man that he need not devote himself TO
watching the girls movement any longer, re-
turned 10 London determined to clear up The mys-
terry, II possibly could, whether the diamonds
were real or not.
After some little thought I resolved to visit
every one Of the diamond merchants in the me-
tropolis- argued that II the Frenchwoman (who,
as believed, had had one OF Lady Ptnkerton's ear
rings In her possession had taken out the real
diamonds and substituted paste ones she would
hardly make second attempt TO pass them on for
the real ones; but II she had been ignorant Of the
real character OF the brillants, 1t was more than
likely that she would try to get another opinion as
TO their true value. With this idea In my head /
visited one diamord merchants shop after an
other, TIL at last found man In quiet street
of Holborn who remembered an elderly French
woman calling and showing him a pair OF ear
rings. lust about the time when the West End
1eweller had had the trinket offered to him.
"Was IL anything ike this?" asked, producing
THAT is very like IL, as far as remember" was
the answer: "The lady said she did not want to
part with the earrings-she only wanted to know
whethersthe stones wePe real or not"
AS the diamond merchant was speaking the
door opened, anu short, stout woman dressed In
black and wearing thick black veil, entered the
room.
The 1eweller threw me glance as he went for
ward 10 meet the stranger:
'.You were so very kind.- she began, speaking
with slight French accent, "as TO give Inc an
opinion about trinket a short time ago. VIII you
be so good as TO tell me whether these stones are
reaI?" AS she spoke she laid cross OF brllIiants
on the table. just glanced at II. 1t correspond.
ed exactly 10 the description had had OF Lady
Pinkerton's diamond pendant. The diamond mer
chant TOOK up the cross.
".They are only PASTE" said he, after a mo-
mentS glance ut the ornament 81 never saw
better limitations, but not one Of these stones Is
The lady seemed greatly disappointed. She
thanked the 1eweier and left the shop. OF course
followed her home, and arrested her on her own
doorstep. she was, found, Madame Brancilleau.
fashionable dreSSmaker. In one of her boxes
found whole set or diamond OrnamentsEneck-
lace, pendant, tiara and earrings. complete.
Madame Branclleau burst into tears and loudly
protested her innocence, put refused to give any
account OF the jewels until she was convinced that
we meant TO take her 10 the police station. Then
the whole truth came out. The ornaments had
been given her Dy Lady Pinkerton herself? Her
ladyship had found 1t impossible TO array herself
as became woman OF fashion upon the very
slender allowance which she received from her
husband for that purpose and had run up a ire
mendOus bill at Madame BraDcilleau'S. The dress
maker, who had lost money in some foolish invest
ments she had made, pressed the lady for payment.
Lady PinkertOn was at her wits end. She dare
not let her husband know OF her extravaganza
and, as she did not believe tina. he would pay her
debts, there was little use In applying to him AT
last. on the very day OF her starting for NOrthum
beriand, she gave the jewels TO the dressmaker In
payment OF her debt, the French woman UNDER
takiCg tQdlspo5e OF the stones separately. Thus
the trnkets had never been In the jewel case at
all, and Lady Plnkerton gave out that she had
been robbed, IN order 10 account to her husband
and the world Tor the loss Of her diamonds.
Lazy Phkerton was astoVnded TO hear that her
magnificent diamonds were nothing but paste; and
AFTER some trouble she had persuaded madame TO
submit the pendant 10 an expert for elimination
I hat at least, she thought, might be real
On hearing this story took the French woman
and the false diamonds sIra to Lord PtnkertOn's
house. His lordship and Lady Pinkerton were To-
gether.
expected scene, but the lady was equal to
the occasion. She went straight to the heart Of
the matter.
john" she said, speaking to her husband, ayou
must have sold my diamonds and had paste put In
their place soon after We married, lLOrd
Pinkerton started, blushed violently, and said
nOthing.l You really ought To have mentioned It.
and then all this fuss would have been saved. /
think the pest thllg you do now Is TO pay this
good oinans bill ana give poor Wright a check
Tor MY pounds, as some compensation for the
trouble We nave been the means OF causing her
on, yes, Insist on II. Don't go, madame, and
Lord Plnkerton will write you a check"
or course his iordship could not afford 70 let the
story get abroad, so (aIter severe inward strug.
glc) he cid as he was told shortly afterward
Lady Plnkerton biaZed forth in a splendid set OF
ruDes, which, she said, her husband had been SO